Hello. So, we've made it to Chapter 22! Thanks for reading this far. Extra-long chapter this time around. In the future, I'll try to publish these chapters on a more regular basis but we'll see how that goes. Anyway, Enjoy Chapter 22 of United Under Two Skies!
His feet burned as he ran across the desert sands. Every look back filled him with fear as the wall of swirling sand screamed towards him. Tendrils of sand cut into the bare skin of his back-drawing blood through the air like party steamers. He forced the scream of pain back down his throaty and kept running. There was no time for pain; no time for anything but running.
Bloody footprints were consumed as the wall of sand screamed behind him. It seemed to crave his blood as more and more tendrils whipped out to slash his skin or trip his frantic feet. On he ran feeling the soles of his feet tear away and his ear drums burst as the screaming assaulted him. All around him the sun began to fade as the walls of the storm closed in around him. The sun before him began to shrink and he seemed to be running on a shrinking corridor of light.
The path before shrank as the maelstrom closed around him and he reached out for the light as tendrils of sand ripped into his back. They coiled around his arms pulling him back into the wind and darkness, but he planted his burning feet into the earth still reaching for the fading light. Needles of sand drove themselves into his eyes but still he fought towards the warmth of the light until the tendrils dragged him deep into the cool ground.
In that dark place devoid of warmth, he heard them. Every voice he had ever known spoke as one; all those he loved, all those he hated, and every voice in between. They whispered and screamed, they sang and droned, spoke with anger and love.
"Stay with us" they said "Here in the coolness. There's no pain here. Only cool earth."
He opened his mouth and it filled with cold sand and as he tried to cough more sand fell into his mouth. It filled his lungs and filled him with a deep cold that seeped into his bones. His mind began to slow; no more fear, no more worry, no more anything. Just cool blackness. Then like a jolt of electricity he heard her voice.
A voice that only his deepest mind remembered from the time they shared in the womb. It cut through the cold weight of the sand like a blade through paper. Warmth spread through his chest and the weight of the sand lifted.
Rex opened his eyes and looked up to see her there. She sat beside him with her red hair tied back into a neat pony tail. Her face was a feminine version of his own, and Rex knew this was probably the doppelganger who attacked Shepard. As the dream faded Rex felt feeling return to his limbs and he heard the doppelganger's speech.
"You know when I heard you'd become the Courier I couldn't believe it" Roxanne said with a chuckle "My gear head brother taking on House, the Legion, and the NCR. I thought it was funny until I understood why. You didn't walk the road I did; so much pain and suffering. All my fault."
"Don't tear yourself up" Rex said siting up ""So, you just gonna continue to ramble on mysteriously or are you gonna explain. Cause last time I checked I don't have an older sister."
"First, we're twins' asshole" She said with a smile "and second I don't have time."
"What do you mean?" Rex began as Jack entered the room.
"Goodbye Rex, expect to see me again" Roxanne said rising before taking a small black pellet and throwing it to ground.
When their vision returned, Roxanne was gone and the carpet where she stood was singed. Rex looked to Jack and rolled his eyes.
"You know just once I'd like this confusing sci-fi crap to happen to someone else."
/
A few hours later Mordin, Chakwas and Arcade arrived at the hospital to brief Rex. When they arrived, Jack left to get Veronica the trio threw up a holographic display showing various parts of Rex's body and the damage done to it. Rex sat in his hospital bed taking in the information for a moment before he gestured to Arcade.
"Rex you're lucky to be alive." He began "We had to replace your entire suite of artificial organs, and even implant new ones as your liver, spleen, and kidneys received catastrophic damage. A new miniaturized power cell had to be implanted into your artificial spine, and we had to build an artificial bone scaffold over your rib cage to make sure it didn't collapse on your lungs."
"Well I've been meaning to come in for a tune-up anyway" Rex said with a forced smile "My legs feel tingly. Please tell me I don't have nerve damage."
"You did" Chakwas said "Mordin and I synthesized a nerve scaffold from your stem cells and reconnected your nerves. As long as you don't plan on any vigorous physical activity for the next few months your legs should heal just fine."
"Regular physical therapy required" Mordin said "Side effect of scaffold. Must exercise muscle tissue regularly or risk nerve degeneration. Compiled a list of therapy recommendations. Nothing strenuous of course."
"If daily exercises is the price I have to pay to walk away from that beating then I'll happily pay it" Rex said looking around "Before we continue I need a cigarette."
The three doctors looked at each other before Arcade sighed and handed Rex a cigarette and a lighter. Rex lit the cigarette and took a puff letting the nicotine infused smoke flow down into his lungs. Except it didn't, he felt his chest vibrate softly instead of the normal feeling he got when smoking.
"What the fuck did you do to me?" Rex asked.
"Before I go any further let me say that it was Veronica's suggestion" Arcade said smiling weakly at Rex "Your new lungs are an experimental model we've been working on at Big Mt. They have a special filtration filter that filters out all contaminants including smoke and nicotine. Unless it's a medical grade substance you can't absorb it through your lungs. Instead it will be neutralized and ejected through your sweat."
"I'm going to kill that woman I swear" Rex said putting the cigarette out in an ashtray next to his bed "Can I turn it off?"
"No" Arcade said, "Honestly Rex you have bigger things to worry about right now than whether you can get your nicotine fix."
"But Arcade it's my most recognizable character trait" Rex said clenching his metal fists before releasing them "When can I walk again?"
"You should be up able to walk now with the help of braces and a cane." Chakwas said "But I'm gonna keep you here for a few more days to make sure you're healing correctly."
"Well I have been meaning to take a vacation" Rex said sinking back into his bed.
"Really?" Arcade asked raising an eyebrow "You won't suit up and disappear on a revenge quest or something?"
"Arcade I'm not that guy anymore" Rex said flashing a grin "I can order my revenge kills from the comfort of home now."
"Moving on" Arcade said with an eye roll "Your arms are the modular prototypes you were working on at Big Mt. I know you won't, but please check with me before you install anything too insane. I don't want to fix you up after you rip out your shoulder blades or something."
"I make no promises." Rex said tapping the plating on his artificial bicep.
"Despite my recommendations against it; each arm has a small mark three micro fusion cell" Arcade said reading over the report "Do you really need that much power in your arms?"
"Oh yeah" Rex said shadow boxing the air "Just wait, next iteration will be made with better artificial muscle and you know I'm putting lasers in the finger tips."
"It makes me sad that I can't tell if you're joking or not" Arcade said before sighing "Rex there's one more major issue we need to discuss about your health."
"What? Is my floating knee finally catching up to me?" Rex asked his grin fading as he saw the look on Arcade's face "What is it?"
"Rex in the two years that I've known you I've seen you do and survive things that no normal human could. Now we know why." Arcade said handing Rex Mordin's report.
Rex opened the folder and began reading. Arcade watched his friend as surprise slowly dawned on his face. The doctors stood silent as their patient took in the information, and when Rex closed the folder they prepared themselves for a barrage of questions. To their surprise he only had one.
"Would this kind of alteration be possible after birth?"
"No, very likely modification occurred during embryonic stage" Mordin said.
"As far as we can tell none of the modifications are harmful" Chakwas said "Even in their unexpressed state these genes seem to be passively performing their purpose. Your reflexes, strength, aim, and intelligence seem to stem from these modifications."
"So, all my talents came from a tube?" Rex asked.
"The talent yes" Mordin said "But modifications wouldn't manifest such ability. Talent was ingrained in DNA yes, but you honed them over years of work."
"Thank you Mordin" Rex said smiling at the Salarian "Regardless it seems I have a little research to do regarding my father's work in the NCR. As if I needed another dark secret; three more and I get a free sandwich."
"Look on the bright side" Arcade said smiling "Now we know why you never got lung cancer despite smoking three packs a day."
Rex was about to reply when they were interrupted by the door opening. Veronica entered the room and nodded to everyone before turning to Rex and handed him a file. Rex cracked it open and flipped through the contents. The doctors nodded to Veronica and left the room as Rex read.
"All Ex- NCR commandos dishonorably discharged within the last month. Each from a different platoon of mediocre soldiers." Rex said as he read through the file "Reeks of spec ops to me."
"Yeah, our newsmen in the NCR are trying to dig, but it all looks official so there's nothing to do." Veronica explained "I've already set our newsmen in the NCR to digging up any connections to Voorhees."
"I'd doubt he'd leave a paper trail" Rex said, "I doubt anyone in power will go against him as long as he has plausible deniability anyway."
"I've already put a few contingencies into motion" Veronica said, "When you're discharged I'll give you the details."
"Think I'm too fragile?"
"No, but you need to worry about healing" Veronica scolded "I don't need you running off while you're still injured."
"For once I think I'll do the sensible thing" Rex said sitting back into his pillows "So, I'm apparently a super soldier."
"Good they told you" Veronica said leaning against the wall "You okay?"
"Oh, just peachy, honestly it shouldn't surprise me" Rex said staring up at the ceiling "Makes a lot of sense in retrospect; I should have died a few dozen times by now. I always thought that I was just unlucky enough to survive."
He felt Veronica's hand on his shoulder and he looked at her. A look of concern on her face. Rex sighed and shrugged off her hand.
"I thought you were past thoughts like that" Veronica said withdrawing her hand.
"I am" Rex said giving an unconvincing smile "They just like to creep in from time to time. Really, I'm surprisingly ok with this. What does it say about my life that finding out I'm a prototype super soldier is a bit mundane?"
"Yeah, no kidding" Veronica said, "Still wouldn't give it up though."
"Fuck, I would in an instant" Rex said an actual smile forming on his face "I'd trade all this sci-fi trope crap for a quiet work shop in the ass crack of nowhere."
"Really?" Veronica questioned "You all alone with just your thoughts. You'll either build a doomsday weapon or drive yourself crazy. Or both."
"Hey, I can be domestic when the mood strikes me" Rex said sticking his tongue out at her "So what have I missed?"
"Ho boy" Veronica said wondering exactly how to have this conversation "Say, you were pretty sweet on that Kella girl right?"
"Ugh yeah, almost thirteen years ago though" Rex said his eyes narrowing "Why?"
"Did you two actually ever you know; get down to business?"
"No, I was a bit of a chicken shit" Rex said raising an eyebrow "Well, there was the moon festival."
"The moon festival?" Veronica asked.
"Oh yeah, every year they had a festival to honor the constellations; they think they're beasts crafted from the stars." Rex explained "basically an excuse to get high and dance around. They had the festival right before I left and Kella practically forced the "Energy" drought down my throat."
"So, you don't remember losing your virginity" Veronica said with a smirk.
"Fuck off" Rex said, "I never had the guts to touch Kella, and some fermented mushrooms weren't going to change that."
"Well buddy do I have something to tell you" Veronica said tapping her fingers together.
/
Alena sat in the hospital waiting room taking in the strangeness of the place. As someone used to the smell of animals and people the sterility of the hospital was alien to her. It didn't even smell like herbs as the Medicine woman's hut did back at the village. She looked up at the ceiling and wondered how they asked the star beasts for help if the roof didn't open.
She had only been in the city for a few days, but Alena had seen more wondrous things here than on her entire journey from the white north. Miss Veronica let her take apart lots of machines, and even let her keep some of the parts. Of course, she was trying to keep her busy until her father woke up. Alena knew that. As sick people came and went through the hospital doors Alena wondered if the creeping sickness could be cured here in this strange place.
Her father's woman sat across from her reading the flimsy book thing called a magazine. Alena decided she didn't like her. The woman had her head shaved, and she knew people who had their had shaved carried lice. Why her father was with a woman with lice she couldn't say, but her mother had taught her not to judge.
The woman had yelled at her when Alena congratulated her on ridding her head of lice. Alena thought it was a good thing to be rid of the little parasites, but the woman had just gotten mad. Every now and again the woman would look up from her magazine and steal a look at Alena before looking away.
Alena looked towards the door and tapped her fingers against her legs. Her mother had told many stories of her father, but he had been barely more than a boy then. Now he was a man, and from what Alena had heard during her and Walta's travels he was more demon then man. Some said he was a ghost while others said he was a machine. An uneasiness had settled in her stomach when Miss Veronica said her father was awake, and now that she was so close all she wanted to do was run away.
"Nervous?"
Alena looked up and saw the woman looking at her.
"No" she said defiantly.
"You don't have a very good poker face, brat" the woman said with a sneer "I wouldn't worry about meeting your father; he's the sentimental type when it suits him."
"You're his woman; what's he like?" Alena asked.
"First off I'm no one's woman" The woman said with a scowl "Didn't Veronica tell you about him?"
"Yes, but my mother used to say the person they lie with can tell you a lot about a person" Alena said.
"You know kid? I think she meant that figuratively" The woman said "Your dad's a good person, better than he thinks, but not a saint. He'll take care of you if that's what you're worried about."
"My eyes are unnatural though" Alena said fidgeting with goggles on her head.
"Have you seen his crew?" the woman asked "Rex has no problem with people with a little mutation; especially his own blood. At the end of the day you're his daughter and Rex will take care of you, or I'll make him miserable."
"Alena..."
They turned to see Veronica standing at the entrance to the waiting room.
"Yes, Miss Veronica?" Alena asked.
"He's ready to see you" Veronica said.
The woman winked at Alena and Veronica led her into the hospital room and closed the door behind Alena. She saw him sitting in a chair beside the bed. Every visible inch of his skin was coated in deep bruising, and Alena could see surgical scars on his chest. Bright blue liquid dripped down into his arm from an IV, and the back half of the wall was occupied by a big machine hooked up to her Father's chest.
Though what interested her most was her father's arms. Through the tint of her goggles Alena saw the sleek metal plating that made up the mechanical arms. Alena idly wondered what they were made of; no metal smithed in her village could ever be that pure. As she examined him a chill went down her spine and she noticed his grey eyes quietly watching her.
She saw some of her face in his, and felt a strange sensation of déjà vu. His hard-edged face wore a soft inquisitive expression. They watched each other, father and daughter, not saying a word as silence rang in the hospital room. Then he snapped his metal fingers together and extended his left-hand palm first.
Alena walked forward and took his hand, and placed his open palm against her forehead. The metal was strangely warm and as she closed her eyes Alena could smell the freshness of the metal mixing with the sterile smells of the hospital. She could hear the internal machinery of the arm lightly whirring, and when he removed his hand her father said:
"I feel your fire daughter of Kella"
"I feel your strength father of mine" Alena said as he withdrew his hand.
"So, I did that right?" Her father asked.
"Ugh yeah, how did you remember to do that anyway?"
"I can't really forget anything" her father explained in annoyed tone "Your mother taught me all your people's little rituals when I stayed with them."
"They're not my people" Alena said angrily "Not anymore"
"Why is that?" Her father asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm a mutant" Alena said looking to the ground as she fidgeted with her googles.
She felt her father's metal fingers on her chin and didn't resist as he pulled her up to face him. With his other hand he unclasped her goggles, and smoothed a stray strand of her hair. His grey eyes examined her freakish eyes and after a few moments of staring at her father's face he leaned back and began laughing.
"They call That a mutation" her father said running a hand over the red fuzz of his hair before looking at her "So coming here wasn't your choice?"
"No, when Mom died uncle Tracka said I had to leave" Alena explained.
"So Tracka's still running things, eh?" Her father mused before frowned "How did Kella pass?"
"Mom was taken by the creeping sickness" Alena said sadly "She was asleep for her last week. The medicine woman gave her some sleep milk for the pain."
"I'm so sorry" Her father said, "Your mother was a kind person, and the world is darker without her."
"Thank you" Alena said a pang of grief striking her heart "Before she went to sleep Mom said I should find you, and give you this."
Alena took the red envelope from her pocket and handed it to her father. He palmed it for a moment before opening it and took out its contents. They were small squares of paper and a folded piece of parchment. Her Father's breath caught as he flicked through the squares and Alena wondered why. She got her answer when he accidently dropped one.
She picked it up and saw that it was a picture of her mother holding a baby with red hair. This had to have been taken with her mother's camera. Her mother had loved taking pictures with it, and didn't let anyone touch it because her father had….
"You know your mother was so happy when I fixed that old camera for her; honestly a tribal with a passion for photography" her father said wiping away a tear "That was before I came to live with the tribe; an eternity ago."
He looked down at the photos and the and the folded note with a sad look before looking and locking eyes with Alena. He took one of the photos and handed it to Alena; it was a more recent picture of Alena and her mother. Her mother was healthy and smiling with her arms wrapped around Alena. Alena had cried for her mother when she passed, but she still felt a pang of grief at the sight of the picture.
"If you'd like you can live with me" Her father said, "If you're not comfortable with that I can find some other place for you to live, but I want to get to know you."
"You are my father; I want to live with you" Alena said looking her father in the eye, and surprisingly didn't feel the need to cover her own.
"Atta girl" Her father said a grin breaking out on his face "Are you hungry? Cause I could eat a horse."
"Um, A little" Alena said before her stomach betrayed her by rumbling.
"Well that settles it" Her father said tapping a button on the side of his hospital bed "Hopefully the rumors about this place's eggs are exaggerated."
/
Shepard sat in her suite looking over reports from her scattered crew. Tali was currently pre-occupied with her work on the Device, and even with the aid of legion and ED-E it was going slow. Miranda and Jacob were holed up in a bunker somewhere building an information network, while Za'eed and Garrus had started taking free-lance work as mercenaries. Grunt had apparently become semi famous fighter in the thorn while Kasumi was off trying to sneak in and out of every secure building in the Mojave.
Jack was occupied with Rex, and Mordin was studying Rex's genetic code. Samara had disappeared into the wastes shortly after they'd arrived in the Mojave, and Shepard had scattered reports of her continuing her Justicar duties. Even without biotics Samara was still more than capable of handling criminals. On the flip side Thane had taken to long hours of meditation broken by walks and sparring matches.
The rest of the crew were either helping Gabby and Kenneth or helping with local Mojave projects. With the final pieces of fabrication equipment manufactured the crew had started to salvage materials from the SR-2. A skeleton of the Normandy SR-3 was slowly forming in the massive hanger that housed the construction operation. Gabby and Kenneth's initial estimate of four years maximum was conservative at best, and even if the frame was completed on time it'd still be years before the Normandy was ready.
From her suite's window Shepard watched the crowds bustle up and down the strip as the city's day went on. Despite a terrorist attack the day before most of the city's residents had returned to work despite the increased securitron presence. Considering most of the populace grew up with the threat of irradiated monsters It made sense that it took a lot to shake them.
Shepard's stomach growled and she decided to grab breakfast before running some errands. She left the Ultra Luxe and started walking east towards a lovely little grease trap that served excellent breakfast burritos. Her stomach rumbled at the thought; even though most of the meat in the burrito probably wasn't bacon.
The crowds thinned as Shepard moved through the side streets, and soon enough she found herself at a small building covered in bright orange paint. There was no sign that it was a restaurant except for the smell of frying meat and eggs. A few minutes later Shepard exited the restaurant with a bag full of grease drenched burritos, and two bottles of Nuka Kola. Turning northwest Shepard navigated the streets of New Vegas until she came to the Medical Center.
She found Jack sitting in the waiting room pretending to read a magazine. Honestly, Shepard thought it was kind of cute for Jack to be here. The Jack she met on the Purgatory wouldn't have even considered staying in New Vegas let alone staying near the hospital. Jack cared about Rex, and Shepard felt something akin to pride in how much her friend had grown.
"Hungry?" Shepard said offering a Kola and foil wrapped burrito.
"Fucking starving" Jack said gratefully taking the food "The nutrient gruel on Purgatory tasted better than the food they serve here."
"How's he doing?" Shepard asked ripping the foil of her burrito.
"Awake, thankfully, talking, unfortunately" Jack said with a smirk before ripping a bite off her burrito.
"Good, so you met the girl?"
"Yeah, looks just like him" Jack said, her face darkening "I guess he's not as alone as he thought. She's a little blunt, but she seems like a decent kid. Better than I was at that age."
"So, how's it feel to be dating a single father?" Shepard gently ribbed.
"None of your fucking business. But if you really want to know it freaks me out a little" Jack said sighing "Like it or not, the kid's his, and knowing Rex he'll feel obligated to take her in. I know it's stupid, but part of me doesn't want to get in the way."
"You know you won't" Shepard said "Rex wouldn't allow it. You know if you just up and left he'd probably follow you, right?"
"Yes, I don't know if I should find it sweet or just fucking annoying" Jack said.
"Why not both?" Shepard said smiling "It's kind of a sweet actually."
"Excuse me while I throw up" Jack said faking a gag before frowning "You know it fucking sucks. Worrying about people."
"Better than having no one to worry about" Shepard said "Unfortunately it doesn't get any better; You know I felt like I had bullet hole in my stomach the whole time we were assaulting the collector base? Because I care about you and the rest of the crew. Even if you're all a bunch of freaks."
"Says the space zombie" Jack said flipping her off.
"Oh yeah. I tend to forget about that" Shepard said with a smile "I guess we're all freaks."
"You really are a girl scout" Jack said with a chuckle.
"What do you mean?" Shepard asked innocently.
""I guess we're all freaks" you sound like an after-school special" Jack replied with a reluctant smile "But thanks Shepard; For the advice and for being here."
"Anytime" Shepard said.
?
Alyssa stood in her office stitching the last few stitches into Arthur Maxson's arm. The young man had gotten his bicep sliced open in a bar fight and Alyssa had spent her morning stitching it closed. Arthur had been caught up in several serious fights in the last few weeks, and Alyssa knew why.
"Are you visiting her grave later?" Alyssa asked spreading disinfectant on the wound before applying gauze and bandage.
"What are you talking about?" Arthur said shooting her a glare.
"Arthur we've danced this dance before buddy" Alyssa said offering a knowing look "Every time you got into a fight you go and talk to her. I know how close you two were it's alright."
"That's none of your business Alyssa" Arthur said his glare deepening "You are the last person I want to hear from about Sally."
"Arthur, you need to talk to someone" Alyssa said her own face contorting in anger "Getting drunk and fighting every night won't bring her back and it won't help you grieve for her."
"You have the nerve to talk to me about dealing with Sally's death" Arthur demanded his eyes on fire "I want you to say her name; say the name of the girl you sent to her death."
"I don't have to answer to you, Arthur" Alyssa said her voice rising "I'm not the one resorting to violence to work through my grief."
"Fuck you" Arthur said swinging open the door to her office "At least I'm not pretending she didn't exist."
He stomped off out of the room and Alyssa sighed. He was right though; Alyssa had pushed off her grief for Sally in the relative chaos after the battle with the New Legion, and it had been easier to ignore it than face it. She had no right to criticize Arthur, she knew that, but if he kept going down this path he'd get himself killed. Alyssa made a note to track him down later; they both needed to unload somethings, and it better be sooner rather than later.
Alyssa collapsed into her office chair. Speaking of the dead, she took the picture of Amata out from her pocket and looked at it. Things were so much simpler when the only thing she had to worry about was fixing a few scrapes and bruises in the vault. Alyssa waited for the customary pang of hurt in her chest as she stared at the picture, but it never came. She couldn't even feel numb at the thought of her first love.
Oh, it had hurt when she died, but now months later Alyssa felt nothing negative when she thought of Amata. Truthfully, she and Amata hadn't really been on good terms after the fight to liberate the vault from Amata's father. Six years of icy dialogue and the occasional drunken tryst defined their relationship, and truthfully in the months leading to her death Alyssa had barely spoken to Amata.
The speaker her desk chimed and she pressed a button:
"Yes."
"You have people waiting to see you ma'am"
"Alright, send them up and send some soldiers after Arthur. Make sure he doesn't go and hurt himself."
"Yes Ma'am."
She had three appointments this morning besides Arthur. Moira Brown, Sarah Lyons, and a local merchant who had set up exclusive deals new Columbia's merchants. What the Merchant wanted was a mystery as Alyssa had made sure she was paid for her services. Alyssa didn't mind though, she liked the merchant and her face had a strange attractiveness to it. And the woman had playful but predatory aura around her.
Sarah probably wanted to go over the town's defenses for the hundredth time before she left with the pride on recon missions for the Mojave Military. Since they were now bolstering the Mojave forces; the Pride was scattered across the Mojave and her new territory to the east. Sarah was constantly busy with recon and strike missions in the eastern territory, but she still found time to review and organize the local militia.
Moira was another mystery, she had been kicked out of Big Mt. shortly after she arrived there after hooking a neutron laser to a homicidal toaster. Rex had set her up with a private work shop just outside of New Columbia though, and Moira had been happily tinkering ever since. If she was here today it either meant good news or really bad news. Alyssa shuddered at the thought of some of the things that had slithered or clanked out of Moira's workshop in the past.
Moira entered first. Her jumpsuit was stained with what Alyssa hoped was oil, and the tool belt on her hips was loaded with an arsenal of strange custom tools. Moira had taken to wearing her hair longer in the last few years as a single tightly coiled braid that ran down her back to her waist. Alyssa wasn't surprised to find tools and gears jammed into the braid.
"Hello Moira, what can I do for you today?" Alyssa asked washing her hands and disposing of the bandages and gauze she used on Arthur.
"Oh, Alyssa I'm super glad you asked" Moira said in her usual hyper cheerful tone "I need just a smidge of enriched fusion material; Plutonium's ideal but Uranium will do."
"Why the hell do you need fusion material?" Alyssa said far past the point of being surprised by one of Moira's requests. Flashbacks to her work on the wasteland survival guide made her shiver again; so many dead mole rats.
"Oh, I'm just finishing up a teensy little project" Moira said with a sweet little grin "ever since you let me grab up all that Zetan tech I've had a little pet project."
"Moira, I don't like the way you emphasized the word pet" Alyssa said, "What have you been working on?"
"I can't tell you it's a secret" Moira said with a wink "I don't wanna ruin the surprise when I finally unveil her."
"It's a her now?" Alyssa asked knowing that it'd be easier to work with Moira than against her "Okay Moira answer this; will it kill anyone?"
"Oh no I'd never dream of that" Moira said pouting "Unlike the time with the genetically modified radroaches I've done thorough testing."
"You're just going to bug me until I approve, right?" Alyssa asked.
"yep"
"Fine, I'll place the order today" Alyssa reluctantly said, "I trust you Moira, for some reason, so I don't want this biting me in the ass."
"Yay! Trust me Alyssa you're gonna love it" Moira said leaving the room passing Sarah as she entered.
"What's she so happy about?" Sarah asked. She wasn't wearing her power armor and wore her simple under armor.
"I think I might have just helped her finish a doomsday device" Alyssa said sighing "But you know I just can't say no to that face."
"Imagine if the Enclave knew all it took to take down the Lone Wanderer was a pair of puppy dog eyes" Sarah said.
"I regret nothing" Alyssa replied, "What do you need?"
"We intercepted this outgoing communication last night as we were returning from patrol" Sarah said taping a button on her pipboy. It was a series of seemingly random tones and chimes; Alyssa recognized it as an old form of Brotherhood encryption.
"What does it say?" Alyssa asked.
"It's an old language, but I managed to work it out" Sarah said, "It's a detailed list of brotherhood and Mojave assets around New Columbia. Nothing too damaging, but nonetheless it's a leak we need to close."
"Any idea who sent it? Who the recipient was?"
"If I had to guess, considering this is encryption only used here in the west, Arthur" Sarah said crossing her arms "As to the recipient, I'd have to say the main Brotherhood faction."
"Why would he be sending this information in the first place; He's loyal to our faction" Alyssa said already knowing the reason "You don't think this is about Sally, do you?"
"Possibly, but Allyssa we have a bigger problem" Sarah explained "Do you know why we stopped using this encryption?"
"No why?"
"My father told me it was because the NCR cracked it" Sarah said, "The lost hills faction is essentially useless trapped by the NCR, but if Arthur tried to get a message to them it was probably overheard by the NCR."
"Dammit Arthur" Alyssa said, "Is this the first message?"
"We think so" Sarah said "But the information within isn't actually useful, most of it publicly available anyway. Regardless, I've already informed the Mojave government, and sent some of the Pride after Arthur."
"Good bring that idiot back here" Alyssa said, "I just fixed his arm, but now I'm going to crack his skull open."
"Mind if I help?" Sarah asked, "The little brat was my trainee, and I'd like to remind him why he used to fear our sparring sessions."
"Glad to hear it." Alyssa said "Bring him here when they find him. I've got one last meeting then we'll discuss how we're gonna handle this."
"The Pride will handle it" Sarah said.
Sarah left the room and after a few moments the merchant came in. She was a tall woman with a lean body and a short hair tied back into a ponytail. Her face had a hauntingly beautiful sharpness to it and eyes that oozed predatory charisma. The merchant wore a simple pair of boots, jeans, a t-shirt with Ironheade printed on it, and a vest of pockets. A strange warmth spread up Alyssa's spine as the woman locked eyes with her, and despite herself Alyssa blushed.
"How are you this morning, Miss Bronte was it?" Alyssa asked regaining her composure.
"Oh, I'm having a wonderful morning" The woman said with a smile.
"What can I help you with?" Alyssa asked.
"Well now that the courier is putting those transporters in every town a traveling merchant is kind of useless" The woman explained "I'm planning on using my savings to buy some real estate here in New Columbia and open a permanent shop."
"Well we can certainly use an experienced merchant" Alyssa said thinking of the loss of the traders from Canterbury commons "We'd be more than happy to sponsor you for citizenship as long as you bring your own capital to the table. But first I must ask, why choose New Columbia?"
"For starters, you have a lovely little town here" The merchant said "Second there's a ton of capital moving through this area as new housing and factories are built. Third, since you don't have a real merchant presence you'll need me to supply the community with goods at a fair price of course."
"I don't know Miss Bronte, we're a tight community here in New Columbia." Alyssa said using her most serious face. Truthfully New Columbia desperately needed a merchant as none of the Mojave's native merchants came anywhere near the former Nipton area. It was a daily hassle to send people to New Vegas to buy supplies even with the teleporters. An embedded merchant was almost necessary as the Mojave carved out new methods of commerce.
"I'd be happy to explain all of my qualifications" The merchant said, "Over lunch?".
"I'd love to, but I have some business to handle." Alyssa said mournfully thinking back to the burnt toast and watery coffee she had for breakfast "You know what, if you're willing to make it a late lunch I'd be happy to let you treat me."
"I'd love to" The merchant said.
"Well talk to my receptionist and I'll be with you in about an hour" Alyssa said, "See you in a few hours Miss Bronte."
"Please call me Roxanne"
/
Across the wastes a lone figure sat on the roof of a house almost obscured by the shifting sands. The sun light glinted of his metal prosthetics and the trail of smoke from his cigarette coiled into the wind. His rifle sat on the roof next to him recently oiled and cleaned. A copy of the Mojave Times fluttered in the wind as he read through the headline:
Legion heirs arrive in New Vegas!
The sons and daughters of the turncoat legion arrive in New Vegas as the Courier recovers from a vicious assault.
A sour taste coated his mouth and he took another drag from his cigarette. He had spent the last few days selling or giving away his personal items. His pack was filled with supplies, a few changes of clothes, spare ammo, and a few thousand caps. Everything was ready to go, but he hesitated at thought of what he was about to do. Funny how he fought through everything wasteland threw out, but the idea of leaving scared him so much.
The Mojave had been a nice distraction, while it lasted. He'd found a purpose here, and now that he had another it was time to leave. Grim determination painted his face as the potential consequences of his actions raced through his mind. Regardless of what happened next, He couldn't stay here in the Mojave; not with the Legion taking up permanent residence to the east.
Tossing the newspaper aside, Craig Boone stood and slung his rifle over his shoulder. He took a small black box from his pocket pressed the button on its top disappearing in a flash of blue light. Boone materialized on the Strip in front of Lucky 38. One of the two Securitrons guarding the door scanned his face and let him through.
He rode the elevator up to Rex's office and found Veronica behind Rex's desk surrounded by a dozen or so office drones. When she saw him, Veronica shooed the drones out of the room, and invited him to take a seat. Boone sat in the chair and coldly stared at Veronica as he thought about what he was about to say.
"You're looking great Boone." Veronica said, "Nice to see the prosthetics working."
Boone didn't answer and instead placed a small metal badge on the table. It was the badge Rex had given him when he appointed him the leader of the eastern forces. Veronica looked at the badge for a moment before looking back to Boone. The message passing between the two silently.
"Finally getting around to leaving then?" Veronica asked sadly.
"Yeah" Boone said "I walked with Rex, and I don't regret it. But I won't stand by while he gets in bed with the Legion."
"Boone, I know old hatreds don't die easy but…" Veronica began "These people want to be free of Caesar's teachings."
"You know they still call themselves the Turncoat legion?" Boone said with steel in his voice "After you've built them cities they can fortify you'll find them raping and crucifying before the paint dries."
"Boone that won't happen" Veronica said, "We've taken steps to ensure their cooperation, and both sides don't want another war. Give peace a chance."
"You know I can't" Boone said rising from his seat "Before I go I want to give you a piece of advice; watch everyone including Rex."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked raising an eyebrow.
"After everything you've been through you're still the wide-eyed kid we picked up two years ago" Boone said taking out the teleporter "Rex and I are two birds of a feather. If you think you know everything he's planning chances are you'll never see the shot coming until it hits its mark."
Boone activated the teleporter and disappeared into a flash of blue energy. Leaving Veronica alone in the empty office. She cursed to herself and activated her pip boy's communicator dispatching orders to the soldiers calibrating the anti-teleportation fields around the city.
/
In the far east, nestled amongst the Colorado Rockies Vault 0 hummed with activity. Trucks acquired from the Mojave drove into the complex built around the entrance to Vault 0 carrying fresh recruits and supplies from all over the Midwest Brotherhood's territory. Standing above it, all was Isabelle Burnrows watching the activity from an exterior catwalk as she sipped from a steaming cup of coffee. In the distance, she could see the lights of Zero, the city built nearly a century before when Jackson "Warrior" O'Brien merged with the Calculator.
Though they then had access to the vast mainframes and technology at the Calculator's command; it took the Midwest brotherhood decades to recover. The Calculator had thrown every spare combat robot at them in that final push and the surrounding area had been all but destroyed. Now eighty-six years later the Brotherhood was an industrial power, and without the threat of the New legion to the west a new age of peace was beginning.
Isabella smirked at that. She had been the one to push for a partnership with the Mojave and its Courier. Now that a full alliance had been ratified between the two powers the Midwest Brotherhood was enjoying the windfall of technology and products. The Courier had forbidden any access to the truly delectable morsels like the Vending machines and hard light holograms, but had shared the plans for new reactors and a G.E.C.K.
She watched as an armored truck drove through the facility's main gate, and smirked. Fresh components for the calculator. Isabella turned and walked into the facility and through the labyrinth of hallways to the Calculators chamber. The massive Cyborg computer system had evolved over time into a row upon row of cylindrical tanks holding the dozens of brains that made up the organic component of the Calculator. The tanks held the brains of people from all walks of life; Scientists, farmers, Brotherhood Paladins, artists, writers, etc. At its center stood the last of the old tanks within floated the Calculator's main brain and interface.
"Hello Bella, how are today?" The Calculator asked as Brotherhood scribes wheeled in tanks containing fresh grey matter.
"I'm well, Elder" Isabella said.
"What is the situation in the Mojave?" The Calculator asked curiosity crackling in its synthesized voice.
"The courier is out of surgery and apparently awake." Isabella explained "He won't make a public statement himself until he's discharged for home rest in a few days. Unofficially, the intel suggests whatever attacked the Courier was linked to the unit of ex-NCR soldiers who participated in the initial attack. Right now, we know the Mojave's activated countermeasures against the NCR, but our assets have no solid intel on exactly what that means."
"Endeavor to remedy that lapse in our knowledge" The Calculator said, "Anything of note regarding the Turncoat Legion?"
"They're being good little dogs" Isabella said with contempt "Vein is keeping the tribes in line, and the heirs arrived safely in New Vegas. Naturally the populace is a little on edge, but tensions are being tempered by the Newsmen."
"Good, now there is no change to your main objective. Leave me; My new components are ready to be integrated." The calculator said as the lights in the main chamber dimmed as new brain tanks were connected to the system "Installation Complete. Organic processor reconciliation sequence activated. New Total: 158."
"Enjoy your meal Elder." Isabella said leaving the chamber.
/
"Purple" Alena said moving her queen piece across the chess board ever closer to her father's king "What's your favorite food?"
"I'd have to say a good piece of brahmin steak." Her father said moving one of his knights into her queen's path "What about you?"
To help the conversation her father suggested they take turns asking questions. When her father learned Alena knew how to play chess he insisted they play as they talked. Alena didn't know why, he was horrible. Almost every move let her take pieces from him, and she had taken his king piece three times now. She didn't mind though, the wins helped her relax as she talked with her father.
"Shielder steak cooked with wild onions." Alena said taking his knight with her queen "Old nan Moyda makes it best though. She uses some special spice the hunters gather when they go south."
A pang of homesickness stabbed her stomach then as memories of steaming meat filled Alena's head. Though most of the tribe avoided her because of her mutation there were some who had showed kindness to her. Some did it because of her mother's place as lore reader, but others like Old nan Moyda did it because they were nice. Her thought was broken by her father moving his last bishop into her queen's path. Why would he do that? Is he just trying to block the queen and not take her?
"I think it's your question" Her father said with a warm smile.
"Okay, what's it like having metal arms?" Alena said taking his bishop with her queen.
"Functionally they're better than my plain old organic arms, but I have no tactile sense in them, not yet anyway" Her father said scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"That doesn't sound very enjoyable" Alena said.
"Not remotely the most uncomfortable thing I've put up with in my life" Her father said moving his last knight around her queen towards her king "So, do you have any hobbies?"
"I like to take apart machines." Alena said moving her own knight to take the opposing knight "The hunters would always bring the back and I tear them apart."
"Nice to know oil runs through the blood" Her father said chuckling before taking her queen with a rook she hadn't noticed.
"I don't have oil in my blood" Alena said confused as she took the rook with one of her bishops.
"Figure of speech. Your question?" Her father said moving his king out onto the board out of reach of any of her pieces.
"How did you meet my mother?" Alena asked taking his king with her bishop.
"Ah, checkmate again. Your mother came to Dust with your grandfather when I was about nine." Her father explained resetting his pieces "Kicked my ass the first time I met her, if I recall."
"Why?" Alena said standing to stretch her legs.
"I tried to steal her canteen" Her father replied leaning back in his chair "Beat me with the blunt end of a spear until I gave it up."
"Momma loved that spear" Alena said remembering the tattered old spear that had hung in their hut "She said it made her think of you, but she wouldn't tell me why."
"And all I had to remember that day is a missing molar." Her father said with a pained chuckle.
"She really loved you" Alena said looking out the window "She was never with another man after I was born. Even with my mutation some of the tribe's men wanted her, and even my uncle tried to marry her off before she got sick."
Her father was silent and when Alena turned to face him; his face eyes were glassy as he stared at her. Years of absence and lost potential filled the space between them like a cloud of freezing cold mist. Alena felt a pang in her chest as she remembered the sad look in her mother's eyes whenever she talked about her father.
"Why did you leave us?"
"I was an angry child with a death wish" Her father said with regret in his eyes "When I went south I fully expected to die in some glorious act of revenge. In that selfish frame of thought, I never considered that there were people who cared about me. I didn't know Kella was pregnant, and it probably wouldn't have mattered I'm ashamed to say."
"She waited for you. Every day she waited, hoping you'd come back" Alena said anger dripping into her words "Even when she was wasting away she waited for you. But you never came back."
Emotion bubbled up from somewhere deep within her then. Old anger and hatred surfaced and she could feel hot tears welling up in her eyes. Alena locked eyes with her father, the man who stole her mother's heart and left them to the cruelty of the Tribe.
"You left us alone with the tribe" Alena said tears now streaming down her face "Where were you when they beat me bloody or when Momma started coughing up blood? Where were you when we needed you? Why is she gone and you're still alive?"
Her father rose from his chair onto shaky legs and turned to her. With shaking steps, he bridged the gap between them, and collapsed to his knees in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulder and without a word placed his forehead against hers.
"This is how she woke me after Dust burned" Her father said "This is how your mother held me as my world came crashing down. I know what it's like to lose someone you love, and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. But I'm here now."
The fire burnt out and Alena collapsed into her father's arms. He held her in a tight hug and she began to sob as he held her. She had steeled herself against her mother's death, but now that steel crumbled away and grief washed over her. Alena let herself feel her mother's loss and for the first time mourned for her mother as her father held her.
/
Later that night, Jack walked through the hallway outside Rex's hospital room. She had taken a few hours to herself to process the events of the last few days, and it had helped her decompress. Though Jack wouldn't admit it, a few hours of running errands with the girl scout had let her calm her frayed nerves. Rex had been busy with the kid, and she had only been shuffled off to bed in Veronica's suite an hour or so before leaving Rex alone while Jack was with Shepard.
She almost opened the door, but heard Rex speaking on the other side. She looked to the guard and he shrugged. Jack knew about Rex's ghosts, and had accidentally walked in on several one-sided conversations. Not that Jack could really judge; she had a few unwanted voices in her head to. Though they generally manifested as self-doubt and paranoia.
She quietly opened the door and saw him sitting in a chair with an empty glass in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. He looked out at the Strip in the distance, the light of the neon, dimmer this far out from the strip, cast strange shadows on his face as it flickered. The glass in his hand was cracked and looked like it was about to shatter as his metal hand clenched around it.
At first Jack thought he hadn't noticed her entering, but in the dim glow of the lights she saw his eyes focus on her for a moment before returning to the view outside the window. He placed the glass on the window sill and leaned back in his chair. The floor was littered with pictures, polaroids of Alena at various ages. Sometimes with the Kella woman, but mostly just the girl alone tearing apart a machine or shooting something with a rifle.
In the dim light of the room, Jack saw that several parts of the wall were punched in and white drywall coated Rex's knuckles. Jack could smell whiskey from the entrance to the room and as she stepped forward her foot sent a half empty bottle of whiskey rolling under the hospital bed.
"So, how'd it go?" Jack asked pulling up a chair next to Rex.
"Honestly?" Rex asked looking at her with hazy eyes "It took everything I have to hide how afraid I was of her."
"What? The big bad Courier afraid of a little girl." Jack said.
"Yes. I've faced every horror of the wastes Jack. Deathclaws, Milurks, Humans, and every beastie in between, but from the moment I saw her my blood went cold." Rex said the haze clearing from his eyes "My child. A little girl who grew up without a father in a village that hated her. What does her father feel when she tracks him down halfway across the continent? Fear."
"Why are you afraid of her?" Jack asked knowing the answer already.
"Because she's the living embodiment of potential energy" Rex said running a hand through his fuzzy hair "Kella was good and kind, but what am I? A schitzo who hallucinates that dead people talk to him. I kill people, and enjoy it. What kind of father can I be to a girl who's lived her entire life dealing with the cruelty of ignorant fucks?"
"The kind that doesn't give up." Jack said grabbing Rex by the shoulder "The kind who doesn't give a fuck if someone tells him something is impossible. The kind that loves a fucked-up bitch like me, and would give his life for his crew."
"thank you, Jack but…" Rex began.
"Shut up, you mopey idiot." Jack interrupted "I'm sick and tired of this bullshit that you're a monster. You think you're a monster because you've done some fucked up shit. News flash idiot we've all done fucked up shit, but it's what we decide to do going forward that matters."
"Get it through your thick skull that you're a halfway decent person before you let your chicken shit fears push away your own flesh and blood." Jack continued "Regardless of what you think about yourself, that girl still needs her father. I'll be fucking damned if I'm gonna let you sit in this room and chit chat with your delusions until you figure it out on your own."
Rex blinked up at her and fell back into his chair defeated.
"Well now I just feel like an asshole" Rex said.
"Good, you mopey bastard." Jack said standing up "Honestly, Now I know what Shepard feels like when she has to deal with our problems."
"You think I can be a good father?" Rex asked looking away towards New Vegas.
"Yeah, I do" Jack said "You give enough of a shit about her to wonder if you're good enough. In my book that's a good sign."
Rex looked at her for a moment and then nodded with a determined look on his face.
"Thanks" He said grabbing her hand "Nice to know I have a beautiful woman in my life willing to call me on my shit."
"Anytime Carrot top" Jack said placing her other hand top of Rex's "Now it's time you got some rest. I'm pretty sure Veronica's gonna start asking you do paper work while you're trapped in here."
"Oh joy. Something to look forward to I guess" Rex said standing careful "Care to join me in bed?"
"You woke up from a medical coma and can barely stand on your own" Jack said with a bemused smile "and you proposition me for sex?"
"Oh, you have my intentions all wrong" Rex said fake shivering "It's so cold in this hospital room, and the bed's so big. I was just hoping you'd help me warm up; you know being injured I don't want to develop a cold or something."
"uh huh" Jack said with a wink "If that's the case, you're the liable one if you end up in another coma."